Composite glass and metal article



R I 4 vsgy P 1950 w. c. GREGORY 2,521,846

COMPOSITE GLASS AND METAL ARTICLE E Original Filed July 26, 1944'IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII I I na n 1 L35 L35 L, INVENTOR,

u 14. 24 g- Wylande CGT'E cry "-35 5 ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 12, 1950safar QOMPOSITEGLASS AND-MET LfAnrIGLE I m a a lieationfJuly 25, 1944,"*Serial No: 546,609. Divided and thisappli 'c 'ti n F r ry I 8,1950,Serial No. 143,083

This. invention relates to composite articles, and in particularv to'such'garticles ,embodylng areas or portions of glass,1 of suitablecolor or 6017 era-provided. with internal fractures forminglight-reflecting facets 'or". surfaces. imparting to theaforesaid areas=or-portionslive gem-like or j 4 Claims. 401494925 jewel-like.properties of .great decorative, artistic and.- aesthetic .value.

' It is the object ofvthis invention to provide new. andimprovedarticles of the class described above wherein the internally fracturedareas or portions arelsecured to bases orframes of metal.providi'ngadded. strength. and protection therefor and/ or facilitatingfabrication of other objects or articles made up of a plurality of suchcomposite articles .as units.

It is a further object of this invention to pro;

Fig.1 isza plan view of a composite article comprising. a compositeglass and metal panel, illu trative of one application of thisinvention;

Fig. 2 isa section taken substantially on the lineflF-Z'in Fig. 1; rFig. 3"i's an enlarged'fragmentary view, in section, of the'st'ructureshown in Figs. land 2, with l cross-hatching omitted from the glasslayer or portion iri'the interest of'clearness;

f fFi 4 is a view,'similarto Fig. 3, of a modification of'thestructureshown in Figs." 1, 2 and 3;

" in the aforesaid application to other articles -Fig. 5 is aview,simi1ar to Figs. 3 and 54, of a bodying lense forming areas ofglass of thickness ;mea Greenest:par eta- LEJQUL. :J is

tweenthe glass and metal for ofattachment;

Fig. .10-is aplan view, partly in section, illus-,

trating application of the principles of this invention, to--,adecorative panel for use, for in-' stance, :for constructional purposes;

Fig. 11 is a sectiontaken substantially on the line llr- -llof Fig. 10;and a Fig. 12 isa view, similar to Fig. 11,. of another modificationhaving alternate metal and internally fractured glass I surface areas.

In my application Serial No. 426,584, filed J anuary 13, 1942, whichmatured in U. S. Letters Patent No. 2,357,399, granted September 5,1944, disclosure is made of composite articlesconstructed ofglass,andceramic material wherein the glass is,providedwith internal fracturesforming light reflecting facets haphazardly arranged and extendinggenerally depthwise and imparting great beauty and aesthetic appeal tothe articles by rea-, son of ,thesimulation, by the glass, of sheets ofgems or jewels. Methods of manufacturing such articles are alsodescribed and claimed therein. The invention herein disclosed extendsthe principlesof the invention described and claimed and uses-.

As shown in Figs. 1-3, an article embodying the principles of thisinvention may comprise a'metal support or backing. sheet or 1 panel llhaving bondedor fused thereto a substantially coextensive layer l2 ofinternally fractured vitreous material or glass of substantial depth, 1.e., substantiallythicker than a glaze, enamel or other coating. -Thefractures [4 (Fig.3) are haphaz ardlyarranged and form light reflectingfacets within the glass layer l2 which impart to the visible surfaceofthe article the apearance of an expanse of-gems or jewels of greatrichness and aestheticappeaL-x The glass may be of any color, eitheruniform throughout. or. varied throughout, as desired; "Suchan articleis suitable for use as a-'tile..or panel where the artistic ordecorative gem-like qualities-thereof are desirable but wheretheeconve'nience of metal fabrication is also desired. 1 a

While-the interface or bonding surface l5 of the article illustrated inFigs. 1-3 is planar, it may be varied by provision of alternate groovesl 6 and lands ll ,ig. 4) orthe like, for varying the depth of the sheet.or layerof internally fr'ac-r .tured glass locally and for controllingthe size and disposition oi theFcrystalS formed by the fr aetures, whichextend generally depthwise of the g lasslayfer and. which tend toarrange them additional security devices [8 may lie-completely withintne'body of the sheet or layer l'2, out of "contact with the base orbase member ll Since these ornaments or decorative devices are visibleonly through the sheet or layer 12 with its light deflecting *facets orsurfaces I4 andits color or colors, many extremely interesting, variedaesthetic effects may be secured by their use as described :above.

A further variation in the ieffectsecured hy this composite metal andinternally fractured glass construction may be achieved by interruptingthe continuity of the base or base member H at desired intervals orlocations by the provision et apertures such as [9 "(Fig. 'o) wherebyportions of the layer I2 are made tyextend, at suitable locations, ifromside to side or the composite article. l-he lenses 28 formed bythe glasswithin the apertures [9 form light transmitting extensions of the sheetor layer proper 1 2 "making possible the transmission of "light into,and through, the layer or sheet $2. Any-desired symbols, ornamen'ts ordevices may be ='outlined 'by these lenses by suitable location of "theapertures l9 and formation ofthe light transmitting lenses 20 therein,'as hereinafter described.

While the above description relates to substantially flat,: s'heetlikearticles, lit i's of course'to be understood that the prin'c'iples :ofthis invention fare a'dapte'd also totrays, bowls, cups and the likesuch as the :illustrative vessel sh'own .iin Figs. '7 and :8. l hatvessel comprises a pup ortr'a '22 I of metal, "with a'base orbottom wall122 and continuous flange :or :side wa1l 23. Within the reeess formed by' the bottom wa11 22 and side wall- 2 3, alayer or-s'he'e't as ocinternally fractured glass "of substantial thickness or *depth(corresponding ts the above described s'heet :or layer 1 is f'use'd orboniled' to th'e bo'ttom portion 0f the irit'e'rior of th'e vess'el :2 IIn order to enhance the security of attachment of=thej slleet or layer24 to the vessellh I ,Tthe sidewali or nange '"lmay b'e-grcovediFig.19)t ziorm an i'riwai dly dii ected annular-flange ZS eHgaglIIg a complementahy ignoove s25 :formecl tin :the is'heet or layer 24duringifus'in'g Ior b'onding. Likewise, when .thisconstruction' as thellayer .01 Sheet zdrmay be :for-med itwith or iwithoutdts internalfractures) :independently fromtvthe vessel .oribody 21, with Titheperipheral I groove :or .channel :26 formed therein, then inserted. inthe interioraof the vessel :21 before theifiange'iillii is formedtherein, and the fia'nge 2 5 thereafter 4 formed Lin the sidewall 23,for instancefiby spinning. -The;la'tter step conforms I the inwardly:direc'ted. flange 1.2,5tso closely with the-groovellfi in .thesh'eetorslayer :24 asfirmly an'd securely to connect lthesglass isheet orlayer 24 and Ethe metal ivesseli2 I :together,

While the obiecti r: vessel 21 ('Elgsi'l 9) sisoof relatively lightconstruction capable of production 'by'stamping, drawing, and/or.spinning, the principles of the invention are readily adaptable togenerally similar m'etal bodies of substantial 1y greaterwall'thicknessand weight' such as the body of the rectangular tray "3| shownin"'-Figs. 1'0 and 11. Theside wallsflz'andend walls 33 areofsu-bstantial thickness 'as is also the-bottom wall 34, and thelatterwvall 34 "is provided withdeep spaced recesses '35 of "any"suitable size, shape and spacing forming spaced areas of greater depththan the depth of the sheet or layer 24 as a whole and the depth ofthese areas being varied because of the inclination of the sides of therecesses 35. In other words, the internally fractured glass in therecesses 35 forms a series of geometric extensions of the sheet proper24.

Since tthe'ifractures orr facelts M extending from the back oruneirposedsurfaces of the glass arrange themselves substantially normal to theunderlying metal surfaces, generally speaking, the angles of :the lightreflecting surfaces or facets formed thereby may be rather closelycontrolled by'th'e use of such recesses etc., to vary the size of theicrystalsfformeld by the fractures I4 which size wariesigenerally', withthe depth of the glass as wellas with the angles of the facets thereofas described above.

As shown in Fig. 12, the walls 32 and 33 may be omitted from the tray 3|and a structure formed which is particularly adapted to :Juse ;as :13:tread member, block, :or tile and which comprises a metal body J34zprovided Lwith spaced recesses containing decorativeiibodies' 24v'ofzinternallyrfrac turedlgila-ss withlgem likeilightreflectingiproperrties. In this article, apart :of the tread surface is lass butth'e--'surroundingsurfaces tare imetal.

It will, of course, be understood that :the composite bodies 'describedabove may :be 'provided with any suitable-protective :coatings :such :asglazes,-1acquers, -clear varnishes when desired.

It 'is,likewise, to :be understood ithatvth'e ;use-;of suitabiglassmetal bonding c-aidsrsruch ;as :ground coats or fiuxes' applied-to thetbondingsurfacesior interfaces is comprehended where the mature :0f thematerials makes such use desirable ;or1neces sary.

s/Vl'ierei-t is desired to produce: an article embodyingone or moredesign elements rat --:.or sadjacent the interface such as 18 JcEig,45-) :this element may be applied to the baseill :before;it; is heatedor lin'serted in -:the glass .thereon while the glasses-molten.

While many metals may be used infformingthe metal base member, backingor :sheet i which the glass layer is atta ched, \I :prefer :to nse thosehaving fusion temperatures above 31260 t-degrees F., more preferably:above 1500 {degrees :E, in view of the comparativefusingspoints-ofyarious glasses -'and metals as :set forth :in the.%'following -tables"of approximate fusion vpoints or :temperatures.

si mi t, degrees F.

Metal:

.Aluminum, 1217;? -SilverH 1760.9 LLBrass Y. 187010 Gold 194525 C pp r"1981.4 1 Cast ironlWhlteL. 2075.0 Cast iron 1 (,grey) 2230.0 Steel2372.0 Wrought 'iTOIl f "2l3-2.0 "2646.0 Platinum -3I91.0

-.It .will be apparent. from the ecomparatiyely high melting pointsofthe metals, such as .those indicatedtabove, as compared with the low,meltmg point fof the fglass'flayer,.that none. of the metals reachesthefusinepoint andthat accord ingly no metal entersthecracksorfractures: of the giassuayer.

From the above. description it will "clearlyappe ar thatfl have"fprovidednew and "improved composite articles of glass *a'n'd metal--embodying great decorative value and having widely varyingapplications, which are susceptible of production with ease and economyfrom relatively cheap materials.

It is of course to be understood that the above description is merelyillustrative and in nowise limiting and that I desire to comprehendwithin this invention such modifications as are included within thescope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A composite glass and metal article comprising a metal base providedwith a recess therein and having a glass layer, said glass layer beingsubstantially thicker than a glaze, said glass layer being provided withinternal fractures forming individually perceptible light refleetinfacets extending depthwise of the layer from the glass surface to saidbase and being integral with said base, said fractures being entirelyfree of metal from said glass surface to said base.

2. An article in accordance with claim 1 in which said metal base has acontinuous side wall.

3. An article in accordance with claim 2 in which the side walls areprovided with a continuous groove.

4. An article in accordance with claim 2 in which the metal base isprovided with a series of depressions in said recess which extend onlypartly through the surface of the metal base,

WAYLANDE C. GREGORY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

1. A COMPOSITE GLASS AND METAL ARTICLE COMPRISING A METAL BASE PROVIDEDWITH A RECESS THEREIN AND HAVING A GLASS LAYER, SAID GLASS LAYER BEINGSUBSTANTIALLY THICKER THAN A GLAZE, SAID GLASS LAYER BEING PROVIDED WITHINTERNAL FRACTURES FORMING INDIVIDUALLY PERCEPTIBLE LIGHT REFLECTINGFACETS EXTENDING DEPTHWISE OF THE LAYER FROM THE GLASS SURFACE TO SAIDAND BEING INTEGRAL WITH SAID BASE, SAID FRACTURES BEING ENTIRELY FREE OFMETAL FROM SAID GLASS SURFACE TO SAID BASE.